1. Redeyez02's Avatar
    Thanks again for your thoughts and your information, Dunt. I appreciate both.
    Looks like I will be using a several year old Samsung S7. That phone was supposed to be unlocked but has been found to work / work best on AT&T and will not work with a T-Mobile SIM. Oh well... So now I go get myself an AT&T lower-end probably pre-paid plan, which I hope to be doing today. That will be new number, yes. I could do that all online of course. I can play the clueless senior citizen, which I will do to some degree at an AT&T store, coming out of that store with that S7 loaded with one of the new very tiny SIMs and up and running on that AT&T plan.

    Already starting on vids giving me a walk thru of that S7 phone, its controls and features. Learning my way around that device even at a basic level, I expect will take me a bit.
    Sure does sadden me a bit to know that that 9930 will no longer be my trusted and reliable companion come February 1st.
    I had been forwarded a link to a 2018 Medium article by Dallin Crump nicely contrasting the design philosophy and goals differences between the Blackberrys and the 'modern' smartphones. It will be interesting to watch how the bandwidth, the data, use add up on that phone with my extreme low level of use.

    Red
    01-18-21 08:15 AM
  2. Chuck Finley69's Avatar
    Thanks again for your thoughts and your information, Dunt. I appreciate both.
    Looks like I will be using a several year old Samsung S7. That phone was supposed to be unlocked but has been found to work / work best on AT&T and will not work with a T-Mobile SIM. Oh well... So now I go get myself an AT&T lower-end probably pre-paid plan, which I hope to be doing today. That will be new number, yes. I could do that all online of course. I can play the clueless senior citizen, which I will do to some degree at an AT&T store, coming out of that store with that S7 loaded with one of the new very tiny SIMs and up and running on that AT&T plan.

    Already starting on vids giving me a walk thru of that S7 phone, its controls and features. Learning my way around that device even at a basic level, I expect will take me a bit.
    Sure does sadden me a bit to know that that 9930 will no longer be my trusted and reliable companion come February 1st.
    I had been forwarded a link to a 2018 Medium article by Dallin Crump nicely contrasting the design philosophy and goals differences between the Blackberrys and the 'modern' smartphones. It will be interesting to watch how the bandwidth, the data, use add up on that phone with my extreme low level of use.

    Red
    You seem to be stuck on the idea that an old phone is cheaper than a new one. I’m AT&T customer on my primary multi-line account while I use T-Mobile as emergency backup lines. I don’t save money using old devices.

    Both carriers offer promotional deals, either prepaid or postpaid, that could offer you a better value. The BYOD method isn’t so good with old devices. AT&T only supports VoLTE on the AT&T sold and branded S7 version for instance.
    01-18-21 08:36 AM
  3. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    Thanks again for your thoughts and your information, Dunt. I appreciate both.
    Looks like I will be using a several year old Samsung S7. That phone was supposed to be unlocked but has been found to work / work best on AT&T and will not work with a T-Mobile SIM. Oh well... So now I go get myself an AT&T lower-end probably pre-paid plan, which I hope to be doing today. That will be new number, yes. I could do that all online of course. I can play the clueless senior citizen, which I will do to some degree at an AT&T store, coming out of that store with that S7 loaded with one of the new very tiny SIMs and up and running on that AT&T plan.

    Already starting on vids giving me a walk thru of that S7 phone, its controls and features. Learning my way around that device even at a basic level, I expect will take me a bit.
    Sure does sadden me a bit to know that that 9930 will no longer be my trusted and reliable companion come February 1st.
    I had been forwarded a link to a 2018 Medium article by Dallin Crump nicely contrasting the design philosophy and goals differences between the Blackberrys and the 'modern' smartphones. It will be interesting to watch how the bandwidth, the data, use add up on that phone with my extreme low level of use.

    Red
    S7 is in much the same boat as a KEY2 LE... at the end of it patch cycle. But I'm sure the S7 is much cheaper... I used one for a few years. Was a great phone.

    And being a popular phone for the time... there were lot's of tips and tricks for optimizing it. Do some searches and you'll find them.

    Uninstall or Disable stock apps you don't need.
    Prevent some apps from using mobile data - wifi only.
    01-18-21 08:58 AM
  4. Redeyez02's Avatar
    Chuck, that S7 came to me from a family member somewhat aware of how limited my resources are. Not an uncommon situation for caregivers like I was who have come out the other side as I have. The days when I had the income to choose, purchase and get up on a new upper-tier cell phone in a short time, are long long gone, are a distant hazy memory. A decade as 7x24 caregiver and especially the last five years of that, as well as what came after, absolutely devoured my resources, financial and physical. Doing what is 'the right thing to be doing and to have done' ... can easily leave that caregiver with few resources to use during their own senior years.
    If I could offer the younger or middle-aged people who read this thread two words, I think those words might be 'Dave Ramsey'. I simply never heard of or took to heart those kinds of planning so many years ago now.

    Chuck, thank you also for telling me that AT&T only supports VoLTE on their own branded phones. Sigh. Looks like I will learn whether this S7 falls into that category or not. If AT&T will not support VoLTE on that device then that S7 will at least buy me some time.
    How I can discover whether AT&T is furnishing and whether that device can use VoLTE I will need to learn about.

    Dunt, I'm going to do a baseline kind of audit of that S7 before the 9930 has to be retired to see what data resources that S7 is using with essentially no actual use by me. It is not laden with apps, and no games to speak of. Already seeing that it went through about 25% of its battery in about 12 hours, just sitting motionless with just the default screen showing and with no SIM installed. That bothers me despite that it recharges far more rapidly that the 9930 does.

    Chuck and Dunt, thanks again.
    Red
    01-18-21 10:57 AM
  5. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    Dunt, I'm going to do a baseline kind of audit of that S7 before the 9930 has to be retired to see what data resources that S7 is using with essentially no actual use by me. It is not laden with apps, and no games to speak of. Already seeing that it went through about 25% of its battery in about 12 hours, just sitting motionless with just the default screen showing and with no SIM installed. That bothers me despite that it recharges far more rapidly that the 9930 does.

    Chuck and Dunt, thanks again.
    Red
    It is a four year old phone... so a four year old battery. The recommendation is to replace them at two or three years. I know many have used phones with the original battery way past that 2-3 year recommendation. But aware or not, they lose a portion of their life - so hard to judge a device with an old battery.

    My S7 would go all day and still have 50% at the end of the day.... with normal usage. Heavy usage I would need to pull out the battery bank in four or five hours.

    Just getting a new devices and spending time getting use to it.... really impacts the battery.

    One good thing about Samsung... is there are some tools in the settings to better manage what is going on with power consumption. Put apps to sleep, or to make recommended adjustment.... biggest power draw I remember was screen. With my eyes I tended to push the brightness slider too far....
    01-18-21 11:30 AM
  6. Lukas2435's Avatar
    Hello everyone,

    going back to the topic real quick.
    I remember I had an issue years ago where i had to buy an extra "subscription" from my phone provider to make it work fo my Blackberry.
    I am not with tmobile but are they completely erasing the usability of the phones from their list?

    It is already bad having to pay extra to be able to use a provider but now completely taking it off?!
    01-18-21 11:44 AM
  7. Chuck Finley69's Avatar
    Chuck, that S7 came to me from a family member somewhat aware of how limited my resources are. Not an uncommon situation for caregivers like I was who have come out the other side as I have. The days when I had the income to choose, purchase and get up on a new upper-tier cell phone in a short time, are long long gone, are a distant hazy memory. A decade as 7x24 caregiver and especially the last five years of that, as well as what came after, absolutely devoured my resources, financial and physical. Doing what is 'the right thing to be doing and to have done' ... can easily leave that caregiver with few resources to use during their own senior years.
    If I could offer the younger or middle-aged people who read this thread two words, I think those words might be 'Dave Ramsey'. I simply never heard of or took to heart those kinds of planning so many years ago now.

    Chuck, thank you also for telling me that AT&T only supports VoLTE on their own branded phones. Sigh. Looks like I will learn whether this S7 falls into that category or not. If AT&T will not support VoLTE on that device then that S7 will at least buy me some time.
    How I can discover whether AT&T is furnishing and whether that device can use VoLTE I will need to learn about.

    Dunt, I'm going to do a baseline kind of audit of that S7 before the 9930 has to be retired to see what data resources that S7 is using with essentially no actual use by me. It is not laden with apps, and no games to speak of. Already seeing that it went through about 25% of its battery in about 12 hours, just sitting motionless with just the default screen showing and with no SIM installed. That bothers me despite that it recharges far more rapidly that the 9930 does.

    Chuck and Dunt, thanks again.
    Red
    I guess what I'm attempting to say is the free old device can actually cost you more even free. I helped take care of mother for almost 18 years until last year and exhausted much of the resources that were supposed to support me and wife and I'm a licensed retirement planner by profession so I applaud your priorities and realize the sacrifices you've made.

    It's from living semi-frugally, in the weeds, that I've been fortunate. That's where I'm coming from. Understanding your situation, could be my situation, with some future bad luck, is why I'm not being my usual smart arse self here.

    Android devices from beginning were designed to force replacement after two years. By 2015-2016, S7 era, that had been stretched to about three years. In 2021, Android devices could stretch out to four years.

    Keep in mind, I'm talking flagships. Subtract one year for mid-tier devices and two years for entry level devices. Android OEMs want you to spend about $100 per year of use owning entry level, $150 per year owning mid-tier, $200 per year owning flagship and this is just device itself.

    The S7 falls outside these parameters for age so, the battery consumption is probably signalling time for replacement. That's a $50-$100 cost depending on location and possible other issues.
    The phones age means you could spend the money and be with a nonfunctional device 3-6 months later from some other failure.

    I've used AT&T prepaid as throwaway device for employees to use in my other family business with brother. The $50-$75 for a throwaway device and they're good for a year. No repairs to worry about, covered by warranty and sometimes they'll be usable for two years.

    My oldest son now helps my brother in law in his ice cream distribution company. His LG Phoenix (whatever#) is still usable but needs to be replaced since 16GB storage too little and 32GB storage is the new minimum to go another two years. The $60 LG Arena 2 is his replacement in the very near future.

    The $150 LG Arista 5 would be T-Mobile equivalent. The difference is T-Mobile plan is $15/month which is cheaper than AT&T plan about $10/month less so one carrier gets you coming and the other gets you going.
    Last edited by Chuck Finley69; 01-18-21 at 12:42 PM.
    01-18-21 12:18 PM
  8. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    Hello everyone,

    going back to the topic real quick.
    I remember I had an issue years ago where i had to buy an extra "subscription" from my phone provider to make it work fo my Blackberry.
    I am not with tmobile but are they completely erasing the usability of the phones from their list?

    It is already bad having to pay extra to be able to use a provider but now completely taking it off?!
    Yes... it's old technology being replaced with new, it happens all the time.
    01-18-21 01:19 PM
  9. Redeyez02's Avatar
    Hi again Chuck. My hat is off to you for what you did for your Mom. As my age nears 70 I am learning first hand how scary it can be for an elder. Much as I tried to understand while caring for Mom, until you've lived it ...
    Like you I live in the country, in my case in NE Ohio, on a corner of the old family farm. Living as frugally as I possibly can of course. Only thing I won't scrimp on is Medicare supplemental insurance. Even went to the extent of checking referral (referrer?) scores as part of choosing a carrier. Went with the Plan F, which may no longer be available, to sidestep the deductibles with other letter plan supplementals. And to forestall any surprise medical bills. Given your retirement planner profession, you know what of I am speaking.

    What you wrote of regarding the expected lifetime of the flagship vs mid-range vs lower range phones certainly makes sense. That S7's battery and the S7 itself are both nearing or past their target lifetimes, I understand. The S7 came from a sibling, purchased almost new in box by him and recently sidelined for a later Samsung Galaxy model.
    I did a bunch of research into the lower-end unlocked phones. On Amazon I found a disturbing percentage of reports of failures well before 1 year. In other cases I found almost no recent feedback. In many cases the symptoms customers spoke of sounded like insufficient RAM on a computer. Indication taken.
    Way back when I started buying my own cars, 60 years ago now, somewhere I ran across the suggestion of buying well-used not the top of a manufacturers line, not the flagship make or model, but just a bit down from that. I did that with many cars for many years from the major U.S. manufacturers. Only my first 2 cars didn't fit that pattern: 2 late 1950s 4-passenger T-Birds one after the other, very well used, heavy as sin, just did not break. Only reason they handled well at all was about 4 inches of ground clearance. Then eventually I discovered Volvo sedans. Had several 140 series. Discovered that their 'controlled crush' engineering worked quite well! However, finding parts for those old Volvos was near impossible.

    I've now spent several hours reviewing vids about replacing that S7 battery. Looks as much 'fun' as it was opening up Mom's old 1960s or 1950s vintage Singer 600 sewing machine to clean and lube it. Of course, I wasn't using the sewing machine for daily communications ...

    I am slowly learning my way around that S7. Visited an AT&T store this afternoon. Got educated in how those store employees have NO technical knowledge, just training to take orders. Surprise, surprise.

    This S7 is probably locked. It fails T-Mobile's IMEI test as not compatible, not supporting VoLTE in part.

    So, the journey continues.
    Many thanks again Chuck! Best to you and yours.
    Red
    01-18-21 10:02 PM
  10. Chuck Finley69's Avatar
    Hi again Chuck. My hat is off to you for what you did for your Mom. As my age nears 70 I am learning first hand how scary it can be for an elder. Much as I tried to understand while caring for Mom, until you've lived it ...
    Like you I live in the country, in my case in NE Ohio, on a corner of the old family farm. Living as frugally as I possibly can of course. Only thing I won't scrimp on is Medicare supplemental insurance. Even went to the extent of checking referral (referrer?) scores as part of choosing a carrier. Went with the Plan F, which may no longer be available, to sidestep the deductibles with other letter plan supplementals. And to forestall any surprise medical bills. Given your retirement planner profession, you know what of I am speaking.

    What you wrote of regarding the expected lifetime of the flagship vs mid-range vs lower range phones certainly makes sense. That S7's battery and the S7 itself are both nearing or past their target lifetimes, I understand. The S7 came from a sibling, purchased almost new in box by him and recently sidelined for a later Samsung Galaxy model.
    I did a bunch of research into the lower-end unlocked phones. On Amazon I found a disturbing percentage of reports of failures well before 1 year. In other cases I found almost no recent feedback. In many cases the symptoms customers spoke of sounded like insufficient RAM on a computer. Indication taken.
    Way back when I started buying my own cars, 60 years ago now, somewhere I ran across the suggestion of buying well-used not the top of a manufacturers line, not the flagship make or model, but just a bit down from that. I did that with many cars for many years from the major U.S. manufacturers. Only my first 2 cars didn't fit that pattern: 2 late 1950s 4-passenger T-Birds one after the other, very well used, heavy as sin, just did not break. Only reason they handled well at all was about 4 inches of ground clearance. Then eventually I discovered Volvo sedans. Had several 140 series. Discovered that their 'controlled crush' engineering worked quite well! However, finding parts for those old Volvos was near impossible.

    I've now spent several hours reviewing vids about replacing that S7 battery. Looks as much 'fun' as it was opening up Mom's old 1960s or 1950s vintage Singer 600 sewing machine to clean and lube it. Of course, I wasn't using the sewing machine for daily communications ...

    I am slowly learning my way around that S7. Visited an AT&T store this afternoon. Got educated in how those store employees have NO technical knowledge, just training to take orders. Surprise, surprise.

    This S7 is probably locked. It fails T-Mobile's IMEI test as not compatible, not supporting VoLTE in part.

    So, the journey continues.
    Many thanks again Chuck! Best to you and yours.
    Red
    Well if you haven’t read here before, my truck is a 2000 Ford Excursion, so I’m a repair before replace guy. Unfortunately, the phones aren’t quite the same with sealed batteries etc. If you can live with the battery life as-is, the S7 appears to be AT&T carrier branded if you check the IMEI to be sure. The AT&T VoLTE list suggests that model IS supported for the near future.

    On mid-tier Android devices, for myself, I calculate about $75/year for usability expense. So whether purchasing new or used, it’s pretty consistent. That’s how I came up with the new or used phone suggestions. In that formula, the S7, on prepaid AT&T, is worth it, unless battery gets worse. Just don’t waste cash fixing it then.
    01-19-21 06:57 AM
  11. Redeyez02's Avatar
    A few of you will chuckle here ...
    I found the Samsung S7 manual online. That helped some. That manual plus two days of off and on experience certainly reinforced that Android is a FAR cry from that 9930 and BB7 in terms of helping me to be organized and to get done what I need to. Just no comparison at all, stark, day and night difference.
    It is kind of like I am seeing first hand how the Android smartphone world and apps have so warped and disorganized and attention-addicted so many youngers' minds. While BB7 apps would be sitting there, not begging for attention, designed and programmed to a much tighter interface standard, sitting there as if to quietly and calmly be asking, "how can I help you today?" and making it obvious what that BB7 app can do and how to better use it.
    Versus each Android app competing for my eyeball-minutes, and so many apparently programmed to much looser interface standards that I have to learn each separate app and its controls and tools and lack thereof.

    Messages management is only one example, but a key example certainly. Blissfully obvious and fast on BB7 with exactly the tools needed, almost completely the opposite on Android.

    And who gave AT&T and Google permission to sell my new phone number to all those da*n spammers? Yeah, I signed the dang friggin' form...

    Went shopping for a stylus pen this morning at an office supply store; $$$$$$; will be visiting WalMart tomorrow. Why? Half the alphabet crammed onto tiny virtual keys in a little box less than 3 inches wide and maybe 2 inches tall; never did so much backspacing in many years.
    Yes, there are vids aplenty on Youtube on how to create a usable stylus from a q-tip or cotton strand and aluminum foil and tape and saliva. Uh, they last for maybe 2 minutes. Won't be surprised if I set at building my own functional, durable stylus from some salvage pen when more time is available. To get on with this migration, get a cheapie stylus from Walmart.

    Red
    01-20-21 04:08 PM
  12. scrannel's Avatar
    OK. I have a z30 (back up phone) and I'm on T-Mobile. Wifi-calling works, and though it's nearly the end of January, when I go out in the wild, my phone shows 4G and full bars. And, yes, calls actually work. I believe the Z30 supports VoLTE. So does all this indicate it will continue to work on T-Mo despite their 3G shut down? Thanks
    01-27-21 09:57 AM
  13. conite's Avatar
    OK. I have a z30 (back up phone) and I'm on T-Mobile. Wifi-calling works, and though it's nearly the end of January, when I go out in the wild, my phone shows 4G and full bars. And, yes, calls actually work. I believe the Z30 supports VoLTE. So does all this indicate it will continue to work on T-Mo despite their 3G shut down? Thanks
    Nothing in your post suggests that your Z30 is not in fact using 3G to make calls.
    01-27-21 01:51 PM
  14. scrannel's Avatar
    Sorry, I thought T-Mo had ditched 3G.
    01-27-21 02:00 PM
  15. conite's Avatar
    Sorry, I thought T-Mo had ditched 3G.
    It's ongoing.

    Put your phone in 3G-only mode and see if data still works.
    01-27-21 02:13 PM
  16. scrannel's Avatar
    It's ongoing.

    Put your phone in 3G-only mode and see if data still works.
    Under setting I have 2g and then it jumps to "3g and 4g". When 3g/4g selected I get data. Though it says T-mobile 4g voice only. The phone says it's on 4g.
    01-27-21 02:27 PM
  17. conite's Avatar
    Under setting I have 2g and then it jumps to "3g and 4g". When 3g/4g selected I get data. Though it says T-mobile 4g voice only. The phone says it's on 4g.
    On Telus, I could select 2G/3G back in the day. Oh well. I guess you'll find out soon enough.
    01-27-21 02:31 PM
  18. scrannel's Avatar
    Yup, thanks man.
    01-27-21 04:35 PM
  19. scrannel's Avatar
    02-10-21 09:17 AM
  20. eshropshire's Avatar
    Verizon has extended as well, but they said 3G will shut down at a date in the future with no warning. They have not activated 3G voice devicea for about 2 years.
    02-11-21 01:48 PM
  21. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    It's really IoT that are driving the delays.... Security Systems, Instructure like pumping stations, traffic lights, monitoring stations, and even medical devices that people own. Not to mention the 3G cars, trucks and other transportation... I suspect the number of phones that aren't compilate is inconsequential to the carriers.
    02-11-21 03:49 PM
  22. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    Not another member had their account deactivate when they switched a SIM from VoLTE device to an old BB10 phone.... So I wouldn't try that.

    If you have a BB10 or BBOS phone working... use it till you can't.
    02-16-21 03:17 PM
47 12

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